Delhi government’s plan to ban e-cigarettes
In a recent hearing on a public interest litigation in the Delhi High Court, the Delhi government said it was planning to ban e-cigarettes
If it follows through, the NCT will join States such as Karnataka and Maharashtra in the ban
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken a stand against e-cigarettes
Is ban justified?
The controversy exists partly because it is a new and rapidly evolving technology
This makes it hard for researchers to study the health effects
The evidence so far indicates that e-cigarettes are safer than combustible cigarettes
Because they heat a liquid to generate a nicotine-containing aerosol, instead of burning tobacco, they do not produce toxic tars
A ban is not the right approach to regulate this technology, given that combustible cigarettes are freely available across India
Completely banning the technology, while selling normal cigarettes, could take away a promising smoking-cessation aid
Are e-cigarettes completely safe?
At high temperatures, e-cigarettes produce carcinogens such as formaldehyde
Even the low doses in e-cigarette aerosols can be carcinogenic if inhaled for years
They also increase the odds of lung disease and myocardial infarction, but to a lesser extent than normal cigarettes do
Making users drug addicts
E-cigarettes can act as a gateway drug for young people
E-cigarette users were more likely to turn into regular smokers eventually
Reducing the impact of tobacco
E-cigarettes must be viewed from a “harm minimisation” perspective
Combustible cigarettes are more noxious than electronic ones
Switching from the combustible cigarettes to the e-cigarettes can only help addicts
Way Forward
Instead of the ban, a more pragmatic option would be to regulate e-cigarettes tightly, by creating standards for the aerosols and banning underage and public use
This would leave smokers with a therapeutic alternative while protecting youngsters from a gateway drug
